Digital Commons Network^™

Extracurricular Video Game Use And Academic Achievement: A Systematic Literature Review, Christina Hartman, Theo Makanoa, Lucas Thoms, Aidan Lowry, Kaleb Chandler

English Student Research

A good deal of research exists on the relationship between student use of video games outside the classroom and academic achievement. Our systematic review aims to identify what patterns exist across research conducted in the last 20 years. We examined 62 research studies that dealt with academic achievement and extracurricular video game use and found that most studies identify a negative association between the two. However, this isn’t the case for all students. We identified three important variables (the amount of time spent playing video games, the time of day or week spent playing, and the age of the students) …

Substantial Nighttime Evapotranspiration In Lettuce Grown Under Controlled-Environment Conditions, Claudia Garrido-Ruiz, Juan D. González-Teruel, Scott B. Jones, Bruce Bugbee

Plants, Soils, and Climate Faculty Publications

Nighttime evapotranspiration (ET_n) has been widely reported across plant species, yet its magnitude and physiological significance in controlled-environment crop production remain poorly understood. This study quantified ET_n in lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. cv. Outredgeous) grown under controlled-environment conditions and evaluated nighttime-to-daytime ET dynamics under contrasting surface cover conditions. Plants were grown in peat-based root modules operated as zero-drainage systems, allowing ET to be quantified from continuous mass loss of individual nutrient reservoirs. Two surface treatments were compared: uncovered growth media and growth media covered with flexible silicone-rubber sheets incorporated as part of the evaluated growth-system configuration, which …

Queer, Hybrid Participatory Design: Relational Practices And Norms For Coalition Building With Rural, Lgbtq+ Communities, Luettamae Lawrence, Maureen Boyle, Chasity Mayo, Catherine A. Rushworth, Moira Anderson, Dorothy Wallis, Jayme Walters

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Faculty Publications

This paper examines the first year of collaboration between the Bear River Region LGBTQ+ Community Coalition and queer residents in rural northern Utah, United States, using a hybrid participatory design (PD) approach. Using Yep’s queer relationality theory, we examine how hybrid spaces were designed and iteratively adapted to support inclusion, care, and collective agency among LGBTQ+ community members. Drawing on Community Coalition Action Theory and queer PD, we analyze four cases from May 2024 to June 2025 including workshops and regular meetings to explore how relational practices evolved across different formats and phases of coalition development. In this paper, we …

Child Sexual Abuse: What Utahns Need To Know, Brie Sparks, Susan R. Madsen

Marketing and Strategy Faculty Publications

Child sexual abuse is a serious and often hidden issue affecting children, families, and communities in Utah. It is frequently misunderstood and underreported, leaving many children without the support they need. Misperceptions about who is at risk and how abuse occurs can make prevention more difficult. Addressing child sexual abuse requires greater awareness, education, and a shared commitment to creating safe environments where children are protected and supported. Preventing abuse and reducing its long-term impacts is a critical responsibility for individuals, families, and communities in Utah.

Creating Sustainable School And Home Gardens: Managing Rainwater, Lawrence Krissek, Kathy Cabe Trundle

All Current Publications

Rainscaping can help solve drainage problems, reduce erosion, improve water quality, and conserve soil by effectively managing rainwater movement across the landscape. It can also provide environments with increased biodiversity while reducing the need for supplemental watering.  The details of rainscaping your garden are very site-specific, affected by the amount of space and money available, your garden’s physical and weather/climate characteristics, and your garden goals. This resource sheet addresses the use of natural methods to ensure efficient rainwater management.

Colostrum And Rethinking Passive Transfer In Dairy Calves, Drew Swartz, Kalen Taylor, Maggi Mathews

All Current Publications

This fact sheet provides an overview of colostrum and passive transfer in dairy calves, with information applicable to producers, consultants, educators, and students.

Colostrum Management For Dairy Calves: Technical Guidelines For Consultant Evaluation And Implementation, Drew Swartz, Jacob Hadfield, Kalen Taylor, Maggi Mathews

All Current Publications

This fact sheet provides a technical overview of colostrum management in dairy calves, including evaluation methods and evidence-based recommendations for consultants, educators, and students.

"I Belong Here": The Ucla Leadership Academy For Emerging Disability Rights Leaders, Blake E. Warner, Jasper A. Estabillo, Elisabeth Cincione, Julianna Martinez, Yasamin Bolourian, Kashia A. Rosenau, Elizabeth A. Laugeson

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

The UCLA Leadership Academy for Emerging Disability Rights Leaders was developed to address the gap between advocacy training and systems-level leadership opportunities for disabled people. Rooted in the principles of co-production, accessibility, and relevance, the Leadership Academy equips participants with advocacy, storytelling, and testimony skills through a structured, interactive curriculum supported by coaches and program graduates with lived experience. This paper presents findings from two phases of evaluation: (1) a pilot study with the first cohort, examining the program's feasibility and acceptability through retention, attendance, and participant satisfaction data; and (2) interviews with program graduates who returned in a mentorship …

Applicability Of Lunar Thermophysical Models For Vicarious Calibration Of High-Temperature Thermal Infrared Sensors, Christian Molliere, Thomas Muller, Kay Wohlfarth, Marc Seifert, Joris Blommaert, Dirk Nuyts, Allison Merritt, Julia Gottfriedsen

The Characterization and Radiometric Calibration for Remote Sensing Annual Meeting (CALCON)

Wildfire detection and characterization from space critically depend on accurate thermal infrared measurements across a wide dynamic range. OroraTech’s SAFIRE payloads feature MWIR and LWIR bands optimized for this purpose, yet the volume and power constraints of many CubeSat platforms preclude the use of onboard calibration sources. This reflects a broader limitation of current Earth observation systems: the absence of robust calibration and validation methodologies at high brightness temperatures relevant to active fires.

We evaluate the potential of using thermophysical models (TPM) of the lunar surface as a vicarious calibration reference for calibration transfer between instruments. The Moon reaches surface …

Engaging Immigrant Families Of Children With Disabilities: Recommendations For Practitioners, Robai N. Werunga, John William Mckenna, Rocio Rosales

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Family involvement is essential for positive school outcomes. Yet research suggests that family engagement for students with disabilities may be marked by conflict. Furthermore, creating an environment that promotes active engagement for immigrant families may be challenging. In this paper, we synthesize existing research, legal guidance, and community-engaged insights to present four practice-oriented recommendations for educators and practitioners working with immigrant families of children with disabilities. Grounded in Hans and Love’s stages of immigrant family engagement, these recommendations aim to support meaningful and culturally responsive participation in special education processes.

Arcstone: Calibration Of Lunar Spectral Reflectance From Space, Cindy Young, M. Cooney, A. Thurston, L. Morrill, N. Ryan, M. Banchy, C. Stimson, B. Magill, J. Campbell, C. Roithmayr, R. Swanson, G. Kopp, T. Stone, C. Lukashin

The Characterization and Radiometric Calibration for Remote Sensing Annual Meeting (CALCON)

In remote sensing of the Earth system, accuracy is key for developing reliable, long-term environmental data records built from data collected by multiple instruments, for quickly detecting trends in the quantities being observed, and for determining the confidence with which conclusions can be drawn from those data. For sensors measuring light in the reflected solar wavelengths from Earth orbit, measurement accuracy has historically been limited by the techniques used in calibration (e.g., using onboard lamps and/or solar diffusers that increase instrument mass/complexity and degrade over time, or viewing ground sites through the Earth’s atmosphere, requiring an additional correction, etc.). The …

Initial Operation Results Of A Barium-Sulfate-Coated Integrating Sphere Equipped With Led And Halogen Lamps, Kazunori Asakura, Masahiro Suganuma, Makoto Hirose, Toshiyoshi Kimura, Tadashi Imai, Yasuhiro Nakajima

The Characterization and Radiometric Calibration for Remote Sensing Annual Meeting (CALCON)

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) operates integrating spheres (barium-sulfate-coated, gold-coated, and PTFEcoated) at Tsukuba Space Center for radiometric calibration in the visible and short-wave infrared spectral bands, and several JAXA missions have utilized these spheres for the ground calibration test of their onboard sensors. The bariumsulfate- coated integrating sphere has the largest aperture diameter (36 cm), and it has been employed for calibration of satellite-borne cameras (e.g., PLANET-C, Hayabusa-2). However, the spatial uniformity of this sphere has gradually deteriorated due to long-term aging of the barium sulfate coating, after more than two decades of operation. Although its performance is periodically …

Pregnancy In Type I Interferon Receptor (Ifnar2) Knockout Sheep Challenges The Accepted Paradigm For Pregnancy Recognition In Ruminants, Christopher J. Davies, Evan K. Peterson, Aaron J. Thomas, Andrea L. Giles, Young-Min Lee, Irina A. Polejaeva, Heloisa M. Rutigliano

Veterinary Clinical and Life Science Faculty Publications

The effects of type I interferons, including interferon tau (IFNT), previously thought to be the signal for pregnancy recognition in ruminants, are mediated by the type I interferon receptor (IFNAR), a heterodimer comprised of IFNAR1 and IFNAR2. The genes encoding IFNAR were disrupted in fetal fibroblast cells using CRISPR/Cas9 and lambs were produced by somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). Subsequently, a herd of IFNAR2^+/− sheep was developed and used to produce IFNAR2^−/− lambs. Functional knockout of IFNAR was confirmed by failure of fibroblast cell lines from IFNAR2^−/− sheep to respond to interferon alpha or IFNT in a …

Tempo Calibration Status And The Path Thus Far, D. E. Flittner, X. Liu, Heesung Chong, W. Hou, J. Carr, L. E. Flynn, S. Marchenko, B. Baker, James Lasnik, Dennis Nicks

The Characterization and Radiometric Calibration for Remote Sensing Annual Meeting (CALCON)

The Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution (TEMPO) was selected in late 2012 as the first cost-capped and schedule constrained project for Earth Venture Instrument (EVI-1). Launched in April 2023 aboard the Intelsat (now SES) IS40E satellite, it is the first space-borne hyperspectral imaging spectrograph measuring backscattered sunlight over North America in a geostationary orbit (91 West longitude). It serves as the de facto North American element of the atmospheric composition – virtual constellation geo-ring. The instrument’s focal plane has two charge-coupled device (CCD) detectors covering the spectral ranges 293–494 and 538–741 nm with resolutions of 0.53–0.63 nm. It was designed …

Image Uniformity Evaluation Of Landsat Oli Using Detector Overlap Statistics Of Earth Scenes, Raviv Levy, Cibele Teixeira Pinto, Jeffrey A. Miller, Kurtis Thome

The Characterization and Radiometric Calibration for Remote Sensing Annual Meeting (CALCON)

The Operational Land Imager (OLI) instruments on Landsat 8 and Landsat 9 collect hundreds of Earth scenes per day, covering a wide mix of surface types and signal levels. This report demonstrates that detector overlap statistics can be used to directly characterize non-uniformity at the focalplane boundary zones inherent to the OLI focalplane design and correct for these non-uniformities in image data products. Detector pairs of coregistered pixels within boundary zone represent measurements of the same ground target collected at the same time but with minor view angle differences. The use of multiple pairs of detectors offers varying scene types …

Development Of A Software-Based Lock-In Amplifier With Linearity Of 0.004 % (K=2) Using A 24-Bit, Fpga-Based Digitizer, Howard W. Yoon, Michael P. Braine, Vladimir Khromchenko

The Characterization and Radiometric Calibration for Remote Sensing Annual Meeting (CALCON)

Lock-in amplifiers (LIA) are used to measure signals from noisy sources or detectors and for measuring AC-mode devices such as pyroelectric detectors. In infrared radiometry, LIAs are often used in both detector and radiometer calibrations where gain linearity directly impacts the measurement uncertainties. In applications such as BRDF measurements where large signal ratios are used to determine reflectance factors, knowledge of LIA linearities is critical since large signal ratios much be known with very low uncertainties.

At present, most commercial LIAs are limited by their 16-bit or 18-bit amplitude resolution, maximum input voltage of 1 V and nearly 1 % …

Why Communicating Minimum Drawdown Elevations For Lake Powell And Lake Mead Can Mitigate Risks Of Volatile Colorado River Flow., Brittany Fager, David Rosenberg, Erik Porse

Reports

There is consensus across Reclamation’s hydrologic ensembles that volatile Colorado River flow will continue, including annual drops of 6 million acre-feet of natural flow above Lake Powell. This volatility poses risk that water managers cannot respond fast enough with the consequence that Lake Powell and Lake Mead drawdown so they no longer fulfill their Congressionally legislated purposes: deliver water, generate hydropower, protect native fish, or sustain infrastructure. In this post we suggest four reservoir operational strategies to reduce all those risks: (1) Identify Catastrophic Elevations where we lose the ability to operate reservoirs for one or more legislated purposes, (2) …

Archiving In Advance Of Mission Completion, Molly Stothert-Maurer

Journal of Western Archives

This paper presents a detailed case study of the born-digital archiving efforts associated with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security–Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) Asteroid Sample Return Mission at the University of Arizona Libraries Special Collections. From the perspective of an archivist, the project exemplifies the integration of digital archiving into an active scientific mission, conducted in collaboration with multiple departments across the university. By preserving mission-critical content, including project management documents, social media interactions, and web content, this initiative serves as a model for resource light digital products utilizing batch descriptive techniques. The paper …

Limitations And Alternative Applications Of Carbohydrate Fatty Acid Esters As Food Antimicrobials: A Review, Valeria Rodríguez Monge, Namhyeon Park

Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Science Student Research

Carbohydrate fatty acid esters (CFAs) are nontoxic food additives with reported antimicrobial activity and growing interest as a potential safer alternative to conventional preservatives. However, their translation into real food systems remains limited. This review examined the main factors that restrict the antimicrobial performance of CFAs in foods and evaluated emerging alternative applications, particularly edible coatings, antibiofilm strategies, and synergistic combinations with other cleaning agents or processing techniques. Overall, the available evidence indicates that the antimicrobial efficacy of CFAs is often reduced in real food matrices compared with in vitro conditions. This loss of activity has been mainly associated with …

New American Women (Immigrants And Refugees) In Utah, Robyn C. Blackburn, Vanessa Tuttle, Yvette Young, Susan R. Madsen

Marketing and Strategy Faculty Publications

Year after year, the topic of immigration features centrally in US public policy discussions and debates. This focus is not surprising, given that the US is home to more immigrants than any other country in the world. While policy discussions often focus on immigrants who lack legal authorization to be in the US, most immigrants are legal residents (77.0%).¹ An immigrant is any person who lives in a country that is not their country of usual residence or nationality.² The US immigrant population includes naturalized citizens (i.e., those who entered the US legally and became citizens), lawful permanent …

Cross-Cultural Differences Among Children And Youth With Special Health Care Needs: A Mixed-Methods Analysis Of Chinese, Spanish, And English-Speaking Families, Kathleen Mcgrath, Miriam Franco, Amy Morales-Lara, Karen Bonuck Phd, Joanne Siegel

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

One in five U.S. children has a special health care need, with prevalence rates rising each year. Children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN) from immigrant and/or non-English speaking families face heightened barriers to care, unmet health needs, and worsened health outcomes. This mixed-methods study explores cross-cultural similarities and differences among English-, Spanish-, and Chinese-speaking families of CYSHCN across four key domains – (1) the diagnostic process, (2) access to essential services, (3) community integration, and (4) social supports. As part of a statewide, New York State Department of Health funded initiative implemented across three University Centers for …

A Provable Semi-Infinite Programming Approach For Solving Constrained Dynamic Games, Tyler C. Gardner, Matthew W. Harris, Logan Lancaster

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Student Publications and Presentations

Many engineering problems must account for the non-cooperative decisions and actions of multiple players. These problems can be modeled within a game-theoretic framework. The approach herein is to model such problems as mathematical games, convert them to semi-infinite programs, and utilize a semi-infinite program solver whose output is provably an ϵ-optimal Nash equilibrium. The approach is successfully benchmarked on two low-dimensional problems. Two types of higher-dimensional linear quadratic dynamic games are then investigated: ones where each player’s problem is convex and ones where at least one player’s problem is nonconvex. Within each type, variations based on information structure, control …

2025 Highlights From The Home And Community Department: Strengthening Utah Families And Communities, Heidi Leblanc

Outcomes and Impact Quarterly

USU Extension’s Home and Community Department addresses challenges affecting family and community wellbeing, including financial instability, food insecurity, chronic disease risk, and relationship strain. In 2025, the department implemented an integrated, statewide approach combining financial education, relationship programming, nutrition education, and community wellness initiatives delivered through accessible, research-based formats. Programs produced outcomes across multiple domains. Participants reported increased financial knowledge, confidence, and adoption of behaviors such as budgeting, saving, and debt reduction. Relationship education improved communication, connection, and commitment among couples and families, while parenting and coparenting programs promoted healthier family dynamics. Nutrition initiatives led to improved dietary behaviors, increased …

Fire–Climate–Vegetation Linkages In A Quaking Aspen Forest During The Late Holocene, R. Justin Derose, Jesse L. Morris

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Fire plays an important role in shaping forested ecosystems around the globe. Unlike many other fire-driven forest types, our understanding of pre-settlement fire behavior in quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) systems is limited. To better understand the frequency and severity of fires in a putatively stable quaking aspen forest, a small, key watershed was selected for sediment coring to reconstruct fire history, vegetation change, and climatic variability. The study aim was to explore the fire–climate–vegetation linkages in an aspen-dominated catchment. For the past ~4000 years this basin has been dominated by quaking aspen but also subalpine fir (Abies …

2025 Highlights From The Youth Programs Department: Preparing Utah Youth For Life And Work, David Francis

Outcomes and Impact Quarterly

USU Extension’s Youth Programs department addresses gaps in youth mental health and workforce readiness. In 2025, the department implemented a comprehensive, research-based approach grounded in Positive Youth Development and the 4-H Beyond Ready framework. Programs were delivered through afterschool activities, camps, leadership initiatives, STEM education, and career exploration experiences. Outcomes demonstrate strong gains across developmental domains. A majority of youth reported growth in competence, confidence, leadership, and problem-solving skills, along with improved emotional wellbeing and reduced stress. Participants also showed increased readiness for work and life, including responsible decision-making, community engagement, and career awareness. Collectively, these programs strengthened protective factors, …

2025 Highlights From The Agriculture And Natural Resources Department: Strengthening Utah’S Agriculture And Natural Resources, Justen Smith

Outcomes and Impact Quarterly

Utah State University Extension’s Agriculture and Natural Resources Department addresses challenges affecting agricultural productivity, resource sustainability, and food security across Utah. In 2025, the department implemented a comprehensive, research-based approach integrating agronomy, livestock management, horticulture, water efficiency, and natural resource stewardship. Programs were delivered through applied research, field demonstrations, workshops, and innovative technologies such as drone-assisted monitoring. Outcomes include increased crop yields, reduced input costs, and improved grazing efficiency, generating millions of dollars in economic impact for producers. Market development efforts expanded revenue opportunities, while volunteer and community-based programs strengthened local food production capacity. Natural resource programs improved water management, …

Roots And Greens: Discovering The Power Of Indigenous Produce, Abiodun T. Atoloye, Sherif O. Olasoji, Ebunoluwa G. Ibidapo

Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Sciences Courseware

The curriculum was designed in alignment with the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning (CTML), Empowerment Theory (ET), and Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) frameworks. These frameworks were used to determine the selection and sequencing of learning activities. As reflected in CTML principles, the use of texts, images, infographics, and videos enhances knowledge retention and information comprehension and helps prevent cognitive overload. Through activities, homework, and family engagement, the principles of ET were incorporated into the curriculum to facilitate participants’ perceived control over food-related decisions. Additionally, by applying the principles of SCT, the curriculum incorporates scenario-based questions, opportunities to engage with peers, …

Utah Growing Water Smart: The Water-Land Use Integration Guidebook For Central Utah, Kelly Kopp, Joanna Endter-Wada

Utah Growing Water Smart

The Utah Growing Water Smart workshop brings together key staff and water and land use planning decision makers to help communities build a more resilient and sustainable water future. The workshop uses a range of public engagement, planning, communication, and policy implementation tools to help community teams realize their water efficiency, smart growth, watershed health, and water resiliency goals.

Part I: Drip Tape Irrigation For Cut Flowers, Alex Rodriguez, Melanie Stock, James Frisby, Burdette Barker

All Current Publications

Drip irrigation can be the most efficient method for delivering water and has the added benefit of keeping moisture off foliage and blooms of cut flowers. This fact sheet is the first in a series of irrigation fact sheets for cut flowers. It provides a step-by-step guide to the initial selection and installation of a surface drip tape irrigation system. Descriptions of and considerations for common components, setup, management, and repair are discussed. While this content may apply to other horticultural and garden plants, this fact sheet was developed for cut flower crops and growers. We recommend USU Extension resources …

Supporting Students With A Hearing Impairment, Kayleigh Kearsley, April Israelsen, Whitney Clawson

Curiosity

Imagine you have hearing aids and have been struggling for weeks to hear your band teacher because of the background noise in class. You approach your teacher and request that he wear an FM microphone device that transmits directly to your hearing aids, turning it on when he is talking and off again when the class is playing, allowing you to hear his voice better. The band teacher denies the request, stating that it would be too distracting for other students if he used the device during class. This is the real life experience of Abby Daum, a hard of …